Suicide Prevention Awareness Week is September 8 – 12

Suicide is one of those subjects people do not want to talk about, or even think about.

But when the stresses of life build unrelentingly, those thoughts can occur, and the Office of Employee Wellness wants CDCR employees to know help is available through the Peer Support Program.

Your local peer support teams provide support and resources to staff who are experiencing suicidal thoughts and emotions. Peer support members are compassionate, sensitive, and able to assist employees in identifying their risk for suicide and directing them to resources to resolve the underlying causes of suicidal thoughts.

If you are worried about a co-worker, contact your local peer support team or CDCR’s Office of Employee Wellness to have a peer-support member check on the employee and offer additional support.

The Office of Employee Wellness distributed suicide prevention pocket guides for all CDCR staff statewide. The pocket guides serve as an additional resource for employees and offer critical information about understanding suicide, prevention, and intervention. Check with your local peer support teams for additional guides. For visually impaired staff, the pocket guides are available in audio format.